I work a 9/80 schedule at work. In other words I work 80 hours over 9 days. That makes for some long hours for the nine days but I get a day off every other Friday. I love it. Last Friday I had a day off. Sweetie and I did a little knocking around.
First we went to SuperPizzaBoy’s school for the big end of year of conference. Of course we were confused by all the testing results but assured that he is doing fine, they love him, and he is ready to move to Middle School. Ok…. Well darn it he may be ready, but we aren’t! He’s our baby.
While there we were looking at the stuff hung up in the hallways. I always check that out. Hey what’s this?
That is his picture, what’s this? Stories that the kids wrote. SPB wrote a story! Nobody told us? I told you we aren’t ready. He is supposed to tell us everything. He hasn’t. The story is pretty decent, I mean for a 6th grader. Teacher said that she had to shut him down or he’d still be writing. There you go, you can’t advance him until his parents are ready. I’m telling you I don’t care if he would be bored. We aren’t ready for him to go to Middle School.
I mean for crying out loud we are standing in the hallway reading his dad burned paper like ordinary passerby.
I guess that you can tell we are going to put the “H” in helicopter parents. Reminds me of these GenX parents. Supposedly at my employer, one of the new hires last year was upset about something his supervisor said about his work performance. His Dad called the supervisor to try and discuss the situation. I don’t know if its true or not, but you have to admit it makes a good story. Sorry I’m way off topic.
They also had dioramas that the student‘s parents made. I love dioramas and the other hands on stuff SPB has done this year. We didn’t have that 46 years ago wehen I started my elementary education. The only hands on we got was the unpleasant kind from the teachers. Here is SPB’s project. His was on the little brown bat. He really got into it, the diorama was of a cave.
I tried to teach him about stalagmites and stalactites and how to remember the difference using something my own mother told me, “The mites go up and the tights go down.” He didn’t quite get it. Probably for the best. I don’t know what his teacher would have thought of that.
Well after all that trauma and drama we went to Nordaggios to get a couple of coffee drinks. Not only are the drinks great but they are pretty.
I mean, how can you drink a work of art? I did though.
Not bad for a day off, right?
Well its just a matter of time before SPB has his own book out in print. I want a signed copy! What was his story about? I always wanted to be a writer and here is a 6th grader already writing stories.
@Kathy, with two hearts – It was some sort of adventure epic with lots of description. Evil nazi’s with bald heads with maniacal laughs, that sort of thing. I couldn’t quite get the thread of the story it being stapled to the bulletin board and all. Sweetie was going to pull it off today so we could read it.
That is a LOT of hours to work! It sounds like you had a good day off, though, except for the trauma of realizing your baby is growing up.
My baby is in her 40’s now and gave two grandkids who are refusing to stay young, too. Just no consideration for our feelings.
Love your blog about SPB but, unfortunately, I didn’t understand half of it! Could you please explain what helicopter and GenX parents are???? From a very grateful, aged English Mum!
You aren’t supposed to confess to making their project, you know. That is top secret.
I want a cup of that coffee. Mmmm.
Just wait til SPB is in college! Sniff!
I wish my Mom would call my boss every once in a while!! ;)-
Oh, I am SO not ready for my kiddos to grow up. . .
I wasn’t ready for them to put a range of mountains between us, but we took them, each in his turn, and left them at college. You get used to it.
I don’t think that way the saying your mother used to explain stalatites and stalagmites, I bet she used the more conventional one I learned.
oh Alan embrace that writing talent he has…such a gift!
Even at my age, I have a hard time remembering which way stalagmites and stalactites go… now I will remember! ha-ha!
Glad you had a good day off after working long hours.
Sunny 🙂
Ok Uncle Alan, I really need you to quit cracking on the GenX’ers. I’m a Gen Xer and believe me, I would never have my mother call my boss.
I believe you are referring more the Gen Y’ers..You know, likey your niece JP. Theres a great article on it in Fortune from a couple of years ago. It talks about how Gen Yer’s are bringing their parents on interviews now as well. I’ll see if I can find the link.
I used to work a 4-1/2 day schedule. I really enjoyed Friday afternoons off.
@Dana of Oz – I was just having a little of fun with a fellow blogger Jen of http://www.jenx67.com/ who blogs a lot about GenX issues.
btw – When you going to start blogging again? Jumping out of an airplane would be a great post. Your Mom is doing a great job with hers.
Nice moments captured and posted 🙂
Pixellicious Photos
Eheh, we have the stalactites trick in French too – “les stalagmites montent” (monter means to go up).
Looks like it was a great way to spend your day off. What a crazy schedule you have though!
That story about your employer sounds familiar. At my husband’s job he was giving a performance review and the employee argued saying, “Well my Dad says you’re wrong.”
And at my Dad’s place of employment they had a new college graduate show up with his parents for a job interview.
The workplace has turned into a bizarre world.
(I’m a little behind in my reading. Trying to catch up. Failing miserably!)
In today’s world and with our kind of kids how can we NOT be helicopter parents?
Love the diorama. I cracked up when you said the parents make them. Isn’t there a lot of truth to that? Courtney had to make a ping-pong launcher this year. Yeah, right! Guess who did it?! The only engineer in the house. Ha!